Mind and Fire
by Rucasofcamelot
Summary: Ryan and Emily- two midnighters with a lot of history out for a vacation, are about to get more than they bargained for. Emily's past has come back to haunt her, and the duo may not survive the encounter.
1. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN MOST OF THE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 1- Ryan

Ryan Andrews was a flame- bringer. He had heard the name while visiting Bixby, Oklahoma, and for the first time, meeting someone different like himself. For years, he could never understand the mystery of why he alone in Mountain Side City, California could enter the mysterious midnight hour. Then, he made the decision to head out to Bixby to visit an old friend named Lucas. It was there that he encountered Rex Greene and his friends, and all became clear.

Ryan was sixteen years old. He had straw- colored hair, and almond- brown eyes. He was also very scrawny for his age, giving him the appearence of someone younger. At the age of twelve, his mother had been killed when her car exploded. In his grief, his father David had taken to the bottle and become very abusive to his son. Ryan had eventually run away, and was taken in by the Andrews family, who fought for custody of him, and won.

Beside him in the white sportscar was a seventeen year old girl with white- blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Emily Glass had no family of her own. Her parents had died in robbery when she was fourteen. She had been taken in by a group of fellow midnighters who were living on their own. But Emily soon realized that this group was no good, and took off, arriving in Bixby.

Now, Ryan and Emily were returning to Mountain Side City together, entwined by fate. Emily shot a quick glance at Ryan at a stoplight. Her mindcasting abilities allowed her the privilage of knowing that he was thinking of Lucas, who had died in an accident while in Bixby.

"Are you going to be okay?" Emily asked.

Ryan seemed to have just awoke from a trance. "Wha-" He realized what Emily was doing. "I would really appreciate if you didn't read my mind, Em," he said quietly.

Emily shrugged as the light turned green and drove on. "I don't exactly get to pick and choose what I taste, Ryan. But anyway, don't worry. Rex and the others said they would take care of Lucas's body. I wouldn't have left if they hadn't. He was my friend too. Dess said she would call us back for the funeral."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah... great."

Lucas too was a midnighter. He was a bender- someone who could "bend" into the blue time at will. In a desperate attempt to save his friends from one of midnight's own nightmares, Lucas had lost his life.

They drove on for about another hour into a large town. Emily could see in the distance a towering mountain. "Mountain Side City," she said. "Jee, I wonder how this place got it's name?"

Ryan laughed. "True. Whoever founded it certainly wasn't the most creative person in the world."

Emily stopped the car in front of a two- story white house. The duo got out and made their way up to the front porch. A blond woman with bright green eyes nearly tore the door open in her desperate attempt to get to her adopted son. Emily stood somewhat awkwardly as Leslie Andrews pulled Ryan into her arms. "Oh Ryan, I'm so glad you're back!" She sobbed. "How was Oklahoma?"

"Interesting," Ryan muttered. He heard Emily snort.

Leslie clearly heard her too, and finally released Ryan to see her. "Hello. You must be friend of Ryan's."

"Name's Emily," Emily said, purposefully not taking Leslie's proffered hand. Leslie withdrew it awkwardly, and turned back to Ryan. "Come on in, dear, the others are waiting."

"I'll be in in a sec, Mom," Ryan said. "Just need to grab my bags."

"Do you need any help?"

"It's okay, Mrs. Andrews. I can help him," Emily said. Ryan noticed that she suddenly seemed tense.

Leslie nodded, and went back inside.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked.

Emily turned to him, her face grave. "We're not alone."


	2. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 2- The Other Mindcaster

Ryan had to jog to keep up with Emily, who was plowing on without another word. "Em... wha- what's is it?" He panted, ignoring the stitch in his side.

Emily finally stopped, allowing Ryan to catch his breath. "Ryan, I want you to go back," she said without looking at him.

"No way!" Ryan objected. "Not unless I know you're going to be okay!"

Emily finally turned to him. Ryan was surprised to see that her normally steely gaze was gone. In it's place was something Ryan had never seen in Emily's eyes: Fear. "What is it?" He asked gently.

"Danny and Dana," Emily replied. "They are very powerful midnighters. A couple years ago, they lived in the house Eric had gotten for his crew."

Ryan remembered Eric very clearly. Eric had taken in Emily, along with several other orphaned midnighters. What nobody realized was that Eric's goal in this was to form his own personal army. Later cut off from his friends, Eric went after the Bixby crew, who had stopped his earlier attempts at death and destruction. It was in Bixby that Eric finally met his doom.

"I can't see how these two can be any worse than Eric," Ryan said thoughtfully.

"True they don't have Eric's abilities, but they're powerful in their own right. They have the power of the mind and midnight on their side."

"Care to explain?"

"Dana is also a mindcaster, and Danny is bender."

This bit of information came as a shock to Ryan. The only other bender he had encountered in his life was Lucas. He had the ability to bend into separate places and time. It was highly alarming to know there was another one. "I'm not leaving you," Ryan said firmly.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Your neck."

They once more took to running. Emily could taste Danny and Dana growing nearer. This wasn't pleasent news. Both midnighters were very good at concealing their thoughts. This made Emily certain that they weren't even trying.

Sure enough, two dark haired, dark eyed twins were leaning against a store wall, as if waiting for someone. The girl smiled as she spotted the newcomers. "Emily! And Ryan Andrews, I presume."

"Dana," Emily responded coldly. "Danny. What are you two doing in Mountain Side City?"

"To see you, of course," Danny said. "We heard about what happened in Bixby."

"I take it you're referring to our old pal, Eric?" Emily said. "You can't say he didn't deserve what he got. He was a homocidal maniac."

"So were you at what point," Dana retorted.

Ryan looked at Emily. _What was Dana talking about?_

Emily lunged at Dana, and grabbed her by the throat. "And you would do well to remember it!" She hissed.

"EMILY!" Ryan cried. "STOP!"

"RYAN, IF WE DON'T KILL THEM NOW, THEN THEY WILL KILL US!" Emily shrieked.

"You won't get the chance!" Danny snapped. He grabbed his sister's arm, and the two of them disappeared.

"Damnit!" Emily shouted, hitting the wall.

Ryan stared at the spot where Danny and Dana had been moments before. "What kind of dammage could they do?" He asked quietly.

Emily turned to him, looking exasperated. "A lot."


	3. Chapter 3

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 3- Darkling Attack

Emily sat on the windowsill of Leslie Andrews' guest room, staring out into the twilight sky. They were excited; anxious for a fight. The taste was like chocholate- something sweet that they wanted more of. But Why? What were they planning?

A knock at the door broke Emily's concentration. She could sense Ryan outside, and he was clearly anxious to talk to her. "Come in!" Emily called irritably.

Ryan entered, darting his eyes nervously.

"I know what you want to talk about," Emily told him, and he turned a deep shade of red. "Don't be embaressed, Ryan, I've been expecting it for some time now." She stood up, and walked closer to Ryan. "You want to know about my past."

Ryan nodded. "I know you weren't exactly besties with the Bixby crew... but what caused the animosity?"

"I betrayed them," Emily admitted. "I pretended to be friendly with them, only to lure them into Eric's trap. I can't say I'm proud of myself for those actions, but I like to think I've made up for it by saving their butts."

"In other words," Ryan said quietly, "You were just like Dana and Danny."

Emily suddenly looked sad. The same thought had occured to her. Dana and Danny were by no means innocent. They had killed people. So had Emily. "I was," Emily replied. "But I'm not now."

Ryan stared at her for a few moments. "I believe you," he finally said. His heart felt like it was floating when Emily smiled back at him.

...

The clock struck midnight.

Ryan and Emily felt the shudder, and the sudden silence. The light around them became a faint blue. A leaf- now enveloped with the blue light- froze in the act of falling from it's tree. Above them was the dark moon, an ominous sign of what was to come.

"Get your flashlight out!" Emily commanded when they were outside.

Ryan obeyed, but looked at Emily incredulously. "Here? Darklings are coming here?"

Emily nodded gravely. "I tasted them earlier. They've been waiting to attack us."

"No darkling could be that stupid as to come after a flame- bringer!" Ryan retorted.

"They're being controlled," Emily said.

"Controlled? By who?"

"LOOK-" But it was too late. The panther- darkling took a swipe at Ryan's head, throwing him ten feet away. He landed in a dumpster, unconcious, and his head bleeding.

"RYAN!" Emily shrieked. She whirled the metal rod that she had brought out at the psyco-kitty like a sword. "Affirmatively," she muttered. She swung the rod and struck the darkling's head. Blue sparks flew and the darkling jumped back, concious, but shaken.

Emily inclined her head. "Oh no..." she muttered. There were more darklings coming. A lot more.


	4. Chapter 4

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 4- Departure

Emily took a step back, eyes wide with horror. Slithers were flooding the skies. A couple of old darklings prowled the street, alongside a few old ones. She looked around for anything she could use as a weapon. But there was nothing.

A flying slither lunged.

Emily practically flew to the side, but immediately pounced upon by another panther darkling. The darkling's face was inches from her own. She could smell it's rancid breath. The horrible smell made her want to puke. _This is it, _Emily thought. She knew that she was about to die.

A sudden flash of light forced Emily to shut her eyes. The darkling was thrown from her, dead, and sizzeling. The strong light continued to blare, destroying the darklings and slithers around Emily. The light faded as quickly as it had arrived. Emily opened her eyes. Ryan was back on his feet, his flashlight held tightly in his hand. But Emily noticed something alarming about her friend. Blood was flowing from a large cut on his head.

Ryan looked at her. His brown eyes gave the impression of disorientation. Then, without warning, Ryan fell to the ground, unconcious.

...

Ryan opened his eyes. He was lying in a bed in what what clearly a hospital room. There was a clock attached to the wall. It read 2:06.

"Ryan!" Came a reassuringly familiar voice.

Ryan looked beside him, finally noticing Emily's presence. Her cheeks were tear- streaked. It was the first time Ryan had ever seen Emily crying. "Hey," he said weakly.

"Hey yourself," Emily laughed. "You feel like you just got hit by a truck!"

"Thanks for reminding me," Ryan muttered. He put a hand to his head, feeling the bandage wrapped around it. "How much do the doctors know?"

"As far as they know, you were hit by a drunk driver. I saw it happen and called an ambulance."

Ryan smiled at her. "Thanks."

"No, thank you," Emily said. "You saved my life." She took Ryan's hand, feeling his emotions and thoughts more clearly than ever. Like any mindcaster, Emily detested touch. But this was different. She needed Ryan's touch.

"So, what now?" Ryan asked.

Emily sighed. "Now I go back to Bixby. Melissa called. The funeral is in two days, and I have a ways to go."

Ryan thought back to his friend, Lucas. "I wish I could go. Can you not tell them what happened? They have enough to be getting along with as it is without worrying about me."

Emily nodded. "I'll tell them you're having some family issues, and couldn't make it." She took Ryan's hand again, his emotions- relief, pain, love- flooding through her. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised, and left.

Ryan relaxed on his pillow. What was with those darklings? They usually just left midnighters alone. And Emily said they were being controlled. But by who? Dana?

A cough brought Ryan back to his guard. "Who's there?" He demanded.

Dana and Danny stepped into the light. Ryan glared at Dana. "It was you! You sent the darklings after Emily and me!"

Dana nodded, smiling. "The darklings failed to kill you," she said. "We won't."


	5. Chapter 5

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 5- Bended

Ryan sat up so fast in his bed the world spun around him. Dana smiled. "Ready to die, Ry?" She asked, grinning. Then, just as suddenly, the smirk vanished and both twins whirled around. "Someone's coming," Dana told her brother gravely. "One of the doctors."

Danny shot Ryan a venomous look. "You got lucky today, kid." He grabbed Dana's arm, causing both to disappear- or bend to wherever Danny chose.

The door opened, and a dark- haired woman in a white coat entered. "Ah, Ryan, I'm glad to see you've woken up. Emily told me on her way out. You should lie back down."

Ryan did as he was told, and sat thinking while the doctor checked his vitals. Why were Danny and Dana after them? It was certainly no coincidence that two of Emily's enemies would have shown up in the same town they were heading into. The twins clearly had an agenda, and Ryan was very anxious to find out what it was.

...

Ryan stayed in the hospital all the next day, so surrounded by family that he had no fear of another attack. He recieved a call from Emily at about ten P.M. telling him that she was back in Bixby. It was then that Ryan told her about Danny and Dana.

"They might try and attack you again during the secret hour," Emily said gravely. "Keep your flashlight at the ready. Blind them if you have too."

"You be careful too, Em," Ryan retorted. "Danny can bend, as you well know. He might pop into Bixby for a round on you."

Emily gave a humorless laugh. "I've handled bigger thugs than Danny, Ryan. Just take care of yourself, alright?"

"You don't have to worry about me," Ryan said.

"I can't help it," Emily replied in a small voice. "Anyway, I'll see you in a couple days."

"Bye," Ryan said, and hung up. He then grabbed his nearby flashlight, and held onto it. If Danny and Dana struck, then he would be ready.

Danny and Dana didn't attack. Ryan waited on alert through the entire secret hour, but they never showed up. He felt a strong surge of relief when the dark moon finally dropped, and the blue light surrounding him disappeared. They wouldn't dare attack now when there were so many daylighters around. For that night, he was safe. His eyes drooped, and he fell into a restless slumber.

...

Emily drove down the deserted road, away from Bixby. She wanted to get back to Mountain Side, and to Ryan. Danny and Dana weren't likely to lay low for long, and she wanted to be in the middle of the action.

Then he appeared in her passenger seat: Danny. Emily had been half- expecting this. "What do you want, Danny?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"You seem slightly arrogant, Emily," Danny smirked. "I'm not surpised. It was always your signature personality trait." He laughed.

"Ha ha," Emily mocked. "I'm not associated with anyone connected to Eric anymore. That includes you and your lovely sister."

Danny shot her a piercing glare. "That's too bad. We're not done with you yet."

Moments later, the road was completely deserted.


	6. Chapter 6

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 6- The Top Floor

Ryan was gladly out of the hospital the next day. His head was still bandaged, but he was free of the horribly sterile rooms, and food that made him want to gag. He immediately went back home and waited for Emily to call. He waited for several hours. But the call didn't come.

It was at twilight that Ryan's cell phone finally vibrated in his pocket while reading in his room. He looked at the caller I.D. It was Emily! "Hello?" He said into the mouthpiece.

"Hola." The voice was male. It threw Ryan off; Who was using Emily's phone? His stomach began to clench in tension. "Who is this?" Ryan demanded.

"Danny," replied the voice. "I have your girlfriend. I'll give you a chance to get her back. Meet me at Ryder Enterprises at midnight. The top floor. Any sooner, and with anyone else, and Emily dies. Understand?"

"Why are you doing this?" Ryan asked.

"Normally, I wouldn't care," Danny said. "But this is for my sister. See you at midnight." He hung up.

Ryan slammed his cell phone down on the desk in frustration. His adoptive mother looked in, looking concerned. "Are you okay, Ryan?" She asked.

Ryan quickly cleared his face of all emotion. "Yeah, fine," he lied. "Just lost something."

Leslie didn't look completely convinced, but let it go. Once she was gone, Ryan sighed. Danny and Dana had Emily. Somehow, he had to defeat them, and get her back. He grabbed his flashlight; he would need it.

...

Ryder Enterprises was a simple company. It produced simple things such as furniture and fridges. But it was also thought to have some shady business. Jenson Ryder, the president of the company, had a reputation for being un- trustworthy; possibly even gaining some extra cash that way. Ryan figured that was who Danny and Dana worked for now that Eric was dead, and that was why they were using his branch in Mountain Side as a means to hold Emily.

Midnight was blue and silent as ever. Ryan was already around the corner to Ryder Enterprises by the time the clock struck twelve. He walked through the revolving glass doors, not at all surpised that they were unlocked. He didn't know whether his flame- bringer abilities extended to elevators, and didn't care to try. He walked up the spiral staircase, his dark- blue flashlight clenched tightly in his pale hand.

As if led by some unseen force- such as a mindcaster- Ryan approached a plain door. He knew what he would find behind the door. He took a deep breath and entered.

Emily was sitting in a far- off corner, tied up and gagged. She looked at him with alarmed eyes. Ryan was about to run to her, but a cough made him look to the side. Danny and Dana stood, smirking at him.

"Let Emily go," Ryan ordered firmly.

"And what are you going to do if we don't?" Dana laughed. "Shine your flashlight at us? Do we look like darklings?"

"When Jessica Day in Bixby shines her flashlight anywhere near her friends, they're momentarily blinded," Ryan informed them. "No reason to think the same thing won't happen if I don't."

The twins glared menecingly at Ryan. "You can untie Emily," Dana finally said. Ryan didn't hesitate in running to Emily's aid. Once freed, Emily stood up and shot a contemptous look at the twins. "Okay Dee and Dum, why don't you explain what this is all about?" She said.

Dana's eyes became brimmed with tears and filled with hatred. "YOU EVIL MONSTER!" She shrieked. "HOW DARE YOU PRETEND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW! ITS BECAUSE YOU KILLED ERIC! YOU TOOK THE LIFE OF THE MAN I LOVED!"

She lunged at Emily, wrapping her hands around her throat. The two mindcasters rolled around on the floor, struggling for control. Danny moved in to help, but Ryan turned on his flashlight and blared it in his eyes. They immediately flashed purple in the light. He flew backward, blind.

Ryan heard the smash of glass, and watched in horror as Emily and Dana, still tightly clenched onto each other, fell through the now open window.


	7. Chapter 7

**I DO NOT OWN THE MIDNIGHTERS BUT I DO OWN THESE CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 7- Trust

"EMILY!" Ryan cried. He nearly flew over to the window. Emily was holding onto the window sill, the street below her so far away it looked like a toyset. Dana was desperately grasping Emily's dangeling ankle.

Ryan reached out a hand to help her up when something wrapped around his throat, pulling him back. "Danny!" He croaked. He elbowed the bender in the ribs, forcing him to reel back. Danny pounced, punching Ryan in the face. Ryan(for the second time) felt as if he had been run over for a truck.

Meanwhile, Emily was barely lifting her head above the window. She could feel Dana struggling to climb up her, forcing her back down. Emily struck with her other foot, ejecting Dana off her toward the ground below.

Ryan suddenly appeared, and lifted Emily back into the room. She looked around, ready for a fight. But there was nothing. "Where's Danny?" She asked.

"He bended out the moment you threw Dana off," Ryan explained. "There's a good chance they might come back."

Emily looked back out the window. There was no sign of a body lying sprawled on the ground below. Ryan was right. Danny had saved his sister. But Emily did not think they were coming back. Danny and Dana knew they lost this fight. But Emily also thought it was only a matter of time before they came back for revenge.

She felt Ryan approach her. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Emily nodded, not looking at him. "Yeah. Let's go."

...

Danny bended himself and Dana out of California. Far away from California, into a small town in Oklahoma. They had managed to retrieve a van from Ryder Enterprises in San Franscisco. It had taken them two minutes. Now they were in Oklahoma, in the middle of the secret hour.

"They're here?" Danny asked his sister.

"Yes," Dana replied. "I can taste Jonathan flying around now, looking for a girl him and his friends had met earlier, after Lucas's funeral."

"I'll get him," Danny said through gritted teeth.

Dana grabbed a tranqulizer gun out of the back of the van. "Let's go grab us some midnighters," she laughed.

...

Ryan and Emily watched from Emily's guest room window as the dark moon finally set, and the normal time returned. Ryan stood staring, lost in thought. Emily turned to him, relunctuntly knowing what was going through his mind. "You don't trust me," she said with certainty. "You told me before that you believed I wasn't the same person I was with Eric. You don't, do you?"

Ryan turned to her, clearly disconcerted. "I don't know what to believe, Em. I want to trust you. I really do. But after all I found out, I don't know how."

"Touch," Emily said.

"Huh?"

"I know that when Melissa in Bixby touched Rex, her memories and feelings blended with his. It made the two of them closer. Try it with me, Ryan. Trust me enough to do that."

Ryan nodded. He was expecting Emily's hand to fall on his. He was not expecting Emily to lean forward, and kiss his lips. The moment they made contact, he knew Emily better than anyone; It was almost overwhelming. He could feel Emily's hostility to anyone that wasn't connected to Eric or a member of his crew; Her later uncertainty of Eric's motives; Her feeling of betrayal after Eric shot her; Her victory after stabbing Eric in the back. Then he felt her love, her undying love, for him. He knew she could taste it coming off him as well.

Emily broke the kiss, and looked into Ryan's almond- brown eyes. "How do you feel about me now?" She asked.

Ryan answered with another kiss.

_A/N: This is the end. Thanks to all who read, and I hope you enjoyed it. I'm sure you noticed the little loose ends hanging around. These will be tied up in the sequals to come._


End file.
